Garage door energy stored and employed

ABSTRACT

Energy in the momentum of a moving garage-door admits doorcoasting beyond motor-shut-off point into collision downward onto the doorway-sill in a door-closing movement; or, in a dooropening movement, into collision horizontally against a stop on the rearward end of a horizontal support track. Thus, energy of momentum is wasted. The instant invention captures wasted energy, puts the energy into storage, and holds it, without depletion, for years, days, or minutes, and, when opportune, releases and employs the energy to close an electric-circuit to door-drive motor for opening or closing the door.

United States Patent [191 Purdy [451 Dec. 18, 1973 GARAGE DOOR ENERGY STORED AND EMPLOYED Inventor: Frederick A. Purdy, 870'United Nations Plaza, New York, NY.

Filed: Mar. 31, 1971 Appl. No.: 129,843

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 25,016, April 2, 1970, abandoned.

U.S. Cl 49/25, 49/31, 49/379, 200/l53 lnt. Cl. E05f 15/20, EOSf 15/10 Field of Search 49/25, 32. 3 l, 30, 49/324, 379; 200/153, 153 SC References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1959 Buchanan 49/32 2,937,258 5/l960 Starr 200/l53 SC Primary Examinerl-l. Karl Bell Attorney-John A, Howson 57 ABSTRACT Energy in the momentum of a moving garage-door admits door-coasting beyond motor-shut-off point into collision downward onto the doorway-sill in a doorclosing movement; or, in a door-opening movement, into collision horizontally against a stop on the rearward end of a horizontal support track. Thus, energy of momentum is wasted. The instant invention captures wasted energy, puts the energy into storage, and holds it, without depletion, for years, days, or minutes, and, when opportune, releases and employs the energy to close an electric-circuit to door-drive motor for opening or closing the door.

11 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures GARAGE DOOR ENERGY STORED AND EMPLOYED The instant application is a continuation-in-part of my application, Ser. No; 25,016 filed Apr. 2, 1970 now abandoned.

THE ART An extensive presentation of a garage-door-operator will be found in my US. Pat. No. 3,444,344 filed Oct. 3, 1964, issued May 13, 1969. Column 1 of that patent contains a listing of eight of my patents, current or pending, at May 13, 1969.

OBJECTS OF INVENTION THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention appears in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view as would be seen by a person positioned at the middle of the garage, with doorway rightward of his right hand, looking toward the horizontal door-support-track that runs parallel with a sidewall ofthe garage, provided that his view of cabinet and cabinets hanger were cleared of their frontal structures.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION The locality of the instant invention is in and below the region of movement of a shifter 12. Faint lines 13, i

that show the location of a shifter 13 leftward of motorshaft 10 are intended to emphasize that the location of parts of the instant invention is limited to the region of one shifter only, the one designated 12. In that region, and into space below it, shifter 12, carrying flexor 14, pivots on stud 15. Shifter 12 is in the form ofa channel. Flexor 14 is the equivalent of a spring, with spiral windings into a cylindrical tube, usually recognized as an extension spring." It is capable not only of being pulled endwise within normal limits, without undue distortion, but is capable of being bent into a sidewise curvature to the extent ofa right angle, or further, without permanent distortion.

When an end of flexor 14 is bound into a corner of the shifter-channel 12, a bend into a right angle opens windings in the curvature on the outside of the bend, but without permanent distortion, as with any comparable spring of suitable proportions. Energy, as held in flexor through an indefinitely long period of time presses continuously toward the originally established straightness of the springs body.

The fastening of flexor 14, in a short part of its length, to the lower end of shifter12, is by stainless steel wire, thin but strong, wound around flexors body and through small holes, punched during stamping, into the web and a flange of the shifter, and, after a series of laps, permanently tied.

The lower end of flexor 14 is ground flat at a rightangle to the flexors length. This contributes to the latch-hold by which the squared top end of plunger 30 is to prevent a premature downward drive by the flexor upon leader l6.

Plunger 30 is a roundrod of plastic, such as nylon, capable of retaining pliability through long periods of time. Its top end is at a right-angle to its length. It has an oblong opening 32 to afford vertical movement along pivot 17. Plunger 30 passes through a midfreeway of a hollow leader 16 to afford further controls of plunger 30 by pivot 17, by spring 45, andby pressfitted nylon shelf 53 toward plungers lower end.

Leader 16 is a sub-assembly of two identical sheetmetal stampings, spaced apart in parallel to embrace plunger 30 and riveted at available locations.

Leader sub-assembly l6 pivoting to-and-fro through 45 degr e es on pivot 17, is supportedgn a bracket 18 that is riveted under t he ceiling of cabinet-housing 20.

lnto'the cabinet-housing 20 and into the base-flange of hanger 21, slots 20' and 21' are punched during the stamping. These slots 20' and 21 admit the subassembly leader 16 for movement through the ceiling of cabinet-housing 20.

The reach of cabinet housing at 20, farther to the rightward of FIG. 2 than is hanger 21, is not provided primarily to afford space here; it follows the design found essential in earlier models of the door-operator.

The top end of actuator 25 (US. Pat. No. 3,048,761 filed Oct. 1, 1957, issued Aug. 7, 1962) appears in its actual location to scale, on'mid-rod 26, relative to the location of motor-shaft 10, and relative to location of cabinet-housing 20, mid-rod 26 is precisely at the middle ofa front-view of cabinet-housing, precisely on any true vertical straight line through center of motor-shaft l0. Shifter 12 is pivoted at stud 15 precisely on any true horizontal straight line drawn through motor-shaft 10, and precisely on any true vertical straight line drawn through pivot 17.

Two bead-chains 27 and 28 are connected by a suitable pivotal fixture, flexibily to the top end of actuatortube 25. These chains reach to respective attachments, such as head of cotter-pins on one of the walls of leader 16.

Leader 16 is limited in the extent of its pivotal movement to approximately 45 of turn on pibot 17. Beyond the points of bead-chain attachment, dotted arcs 23 and 24 appear. These illustrate the distance of travel allowable for leader 16 to turn in making the pull of actuator 25 well up beyond horizontal.

A finger-ring 31, with stem upward and tight-fitted into a hole drilled parallel with a center-line vertically into bottom end of plunger 30, serves for manually pulling the plunger down against resistance by spring 45 to remove a lock of the flexor'by plunger 30, and so to yield flexors stored energy to rotate leader 16; to lift actuator 25 well above horizontal: and to drop it to close a power-circuit to door-drive motor and operate the door. (The dropping of actuator-25 coincides with the flexors running off the track" at end of flexors drive upon leader 16).

The plungers release of its lock against a downward sweep by the flexor may occur when finger-ring 31 is used to pull the plunger downward, or when any pushbutton properly installed is pressed against a flucrum to make the same downward retraction of plunger.

A pull that is automatic, is described in the text next following.

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC STRIKER TO RETRACT PLUNGER The electro-magnet" here used is an adaptation from the buzzer, a noise signal, that is turned here to mechanical unlatching. Flexor 14 is unlatched from top end of plunger 30 by high-speed repetition, downward, of hammer-strikes on nylon shelf 53 which is permanently machine-pressed onto plunger 30.

Corresponding to the make-up of the buzzer, a base of iron 52 has two iron cores extending horizontally from it, one core for each of two electro-magnets wound so that a polarized armature 56, pivoted at 57, is attracted by one of the electro-magnets 50 and repelled by the electromagnet 51 of an opposite pole."

Integral with armature 56 is a hammer-handle 57 which rocks slightly in a support-hole through cabinethousing 20. When electro-magnet 50 draws the top end of armature 56 leftward of FIG. 2 and electromagnet 51 repels armature 56 rightward of FIG. 2, hammerhead 58 strikes downward upon nylon shelf 53.

Alternating current at residences, usually known as house-current, 60 cycle, changes direction 60 times per second, so that the striking hammer-head pursues I shelf 53 downward at that rate.

Normally plunger 30 does not recover at that rate in movement upward by spring 45 against gravity and friction. Thus the plunger is brought down to free flexor 14 to turn leader l6, lifting and dropping actuator 25 to close the circuit to door-drive-motor and to operate the door.

The continuing use of the actuator to rise and fall is related to the continuing necessity to cancel sunlight and other sporadic light, as described in my earlier patents.

OPERATION when the door approaches within about 2 inches of fully open position, a shipper-button 6 on the upepr strand of upper end of door-drive cable, movs the upper end of shifter 12 counter-clockwise to the leftward of FIG. 1, and the lower end of shifter 12 counter clockwise toward the right of FIG. 1. When the door approaches within about two inches of fully closed position, another shipper-button 8 on the lower strand 7 of door-drive cable moves the lower end of shifter leftward of FIG. 1. In either event the energy of momenturn in the door brings flexor 14 against leader 16, and bends the flexor into a position in which energy of momentum is stored in flexor l4 and continues thus stored through any long or short period of time. Employment of the stored energy occurs when flexor is freed to apply its strength to attain its normal straight-line shape, and, in doing that to lift actuator 25 from vertical to well above horizontal (allowing drain of pellets from thehigher chamber, thus icaapaciting sunlight which does not pass rapidly) and immediately to let the actuator fall to close a power-circuit to door-drive motor to operate the door." The quotation is from my US. Pat. No. 3,444,344: full-column 8, lines 62 and 63 under caption Actuator"). The interaction of parts from fall of actuator to closing by motordrive circuit may not need to be reviewed here.

Upon the door having been opened, and the automobile having been driven into the garage, the driver, stepping out within garage onto his feet, may close and open the door by hand any number of times, each movement of door having no adverse effect upon the routine-swinging of shifter 12. Any such swinging leaves the instant invention ready with its energy stored.

A headlamp-beam from an automobile may, in

course of its sweep past the capsule on doorway-frame, or in course of its stationary focus on semi-conductor within the capsule, admit augmented current through and intensify magnetic attraction upon the electromagnets and 51 to bring plunger down, and free flexor to employ stored energy to close a power-circuit to door-drive motor to operate the door. Every completed movement of a door to open or to close swings a shifter, and in that swing stores energy of momentum from a coasting door into the bend of flcxor 14, in readiness for the employment of the energy to bring about, through actuator 25, the closing of a power-circuit to door-drive motor.

At mid-point of the swing of shifter, and directly below a true vertical. center-line through shifters stud 15, the flexor, moving in either direction, leftward or rightward of the swing, encounters the horizontal top end of plunger 30. Passing over the plunger (held upward by spring 45) the bent flexor, pressing downward of FIG. 1, brings the tubular upper interior of flexors bore to rest upon the squared top-end of plunger 30. Thereupon no further movement in the swing of shifter 12 is available to ease the lock by plunger of flexors stored energy. That is for the reason that shifters l2 and 13 have, in concert, been stopped precisely against the periphery of drive-sheave 4.

A downward move by plunger will fre flexor 14 to employ its downward energy upon leader 16 to swing the leader counter-clockwise if flexor is leftward of vertical center-line through stud l5, and so, through beadchain 28, to afford the prescribed lift of actuator to set the door into opening movement; or, (if flexor is rightward of vertical center-line through stud 15) to swing leader clockwise, and thus, through bead-chain 27, to afford the lift of actuator to set the door into closing movement.

Beginners in bringing an automobile's head-lamp beam into register with semi-conductors do not need cogwheels to limit the number of efforts that may have been abortive. Any number of such efforts have no adverse effect upon the device. It is always at the ready.

The invention presents a device that is simple and is regarded as fool-proof. The door can be opened by hand with no limitations. The finger-ring can be used with no regard to frequency, but the device recovers, right up to the moment, with its energy stored or employable. Every door movement into open or closed position swings the shifter. With that comes the bend and lock of flexor, energy invested.

The strength needed to lift actuator from vertical to well above horizontal increases, with the lift, up to 14 ounces. Offsetting that, the leverage of the flexor against the leader progresses with the distance from pivot 17.

My claims follow:

1. In a door operator having a motor, and power transmission means driven by the motor and connected to the door for operating the door in response to a signal and means for energizing and later deenergizing the motor, the improvement comprising, a device positioned in the operator for operation by the power transmission means after the motor has been deenergized, but before it has come to rest, for releasably storing mechanical energy in response to the movement of the power transmission means after deenergization of the motor, the device being operably connected to the energizing means for mechanically operating the same and including means for releasing the stored mechanical energy in response to receipt of the signal to operate the energizing means for energizing the motor.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein the energy storage device includes a spring, and the means for releasing the stored mechanical energy includes a linkage operable by the spring when its energy is released to actuate the motor energizing means.

3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein the energy storing means is a coil spring.

4. In a door operator having a reversible motor, linearally movable power transmitting means connected to the motor and to a door, means for energizing the motor in response to receipt ofa signal and for later deenergizing the motor, the improvement wherein the means for energizing the motor comprises a device including a spring and means for releasably storing mechanical energy in the spring in response to movement of the power transmitting means after the motor has been deenergized, but before it comes to rest, and there being a linkage operated by the spring after energy is stored in it to actuate the remainder of the motor energizing means on release of this energy in response to receipt of said signal.

5. The improvement according to claim 4 wherein 6 the spring comprises a coil spring and the device includes a mechanism operated in response to movement of power transmitting means after deenergization of the motor for bending the coil spring between its end to store energy therein, the spring being connected to the mechanism adjacent one end.

6. The improvement according to claim 5 wherein the mechanism also includes a plunger, having spring retaining and spring releasing positions, which in its spring retaining position engages the end of the spring opposite that of said one end and serves to hold the spring in its bent condition.

7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein there are spring means permanently biasing the plunger into its spring retaining position.

8. The improvement according to claim 7 wherein there is a linkage operable by the spring when the plunger is urged into its spring releasing position for energizing the remainder of the motor energizing means to energize the motor.

9. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein the door operator includes an electro mechanical device for moving the plunger to its spring releasing position in response to receipt of said signal.

10. The improvement according to claim 9 wherein the electromechanical device becomes energized to move the plunger to its spring releasing position in response to receipt oflight from the headlamp of an automobile, said light comprising said signal.

11. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein said plunger includes means attached to it between its ends for moving it mechanically to its spring releasing position against the force of said biasing spring. 

1. In a door operator having a motor, and power transmission means driven by the motor and connected to the door for operating the door in response to a signal and means for energizing and later deenergizing the motor, the improvement comprising, a device positioned in the operator for operation by the power transmission means after the motor has been deenergized, but before it has come to rest, for releasably storing mechanical energy in response to the movement of the power transmission means after deenergization of the motor, the device being operably connected to the energizing means for mechanically operating the same and including means for releasing the stored mechanical energy in response to receipt of the signal to operate the energizing means for energizing the motor.
 2. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein the energy storage device includes a spring, and the means for releasing the stored mechanical energy includes a linkage operable by the spring when its energy is released to actuate the motor energizing means.
 3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein the energy storing means is a coil spring.
 4. In a door operator having a reversible motor, linearally movable power transmitting means connected to the motor and to a door, means for energizing the motor in response to receipt of a signal and for later deenergizing the motor, the improvement wherein the means for energizing the motor comprises a device including a spring and means for releasably storing mechanical energy in the spring in response to movement of the power transmitting means after the motor has been deenergized, but before it comes to rest, and there being a linkage operated by the spring after energy is stored in it to actuate the remainder of the motor energizing means on release of this energy in response to receipt of said signal.
 5. The improvement according to claim 4 wherein the spring comprises a coil sPring and the device includes a mechanism operated in response to movement of power transmitting means after deenergization of the motor for bending the coil spring between its end to store energy therein, the spring being connected to the mechanism adjacent one end.
 6. The improvement according to claim 5 wherein the mechanism also includes a plunger, having spring retaining and spring releasing positions, which in its spring retaining position engages the end of the spring opposite that of said one end and serves to hold the spring in its bent condition.
 7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein there are spring means permanently biasing the plunger into its spring retaining position.
 8. The improvement according to claim 7 wherein there is a linkage operable by the spring when the plunger is urged into its spring releasing position for energizing the remainder of the motor energizing means to energize the motor.
 9. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein the door operator includes an electro mechanical device for moving the plunger to its spring releasing position in response to receipt of said signal.
 10. The improvement according to claim 9 wherein the electromechanical device becomes energized to move the plunger to its spring releasing position in response to receipt of light from the headlamp of an automobile, said light comprising said signal.
 11. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein said plunger includes means attached to it between its ends for moving it mechanically to its spring releasing position against the force of said biasing spring. 